Summer Haven River Petition

Please sign below and in the notes section, put your address or if you are a visitor to St. Johns County, please put where you stay locally. This will help us show the folks we are petitioning that we are users of the River. This link is set up to sign the petition for the Summer Haven River. Please do not sign up for IPetitions.com emails or other petitions unless you want to receive emails or requests from them. Thanks!!!!

Summer Haven is one of the most unique, outstandingly beautiful areas on the east coast of Florida. The Summer Haven River, a natural, thriving and historic waterway, has ceased to flow due to the sand infiltration that came in from a significant ocean breach at Old A1A, which occurred after three sequential tropical stormsin 2008.

This process has closed the area to sport fishing, commercial oystering, kayaking and boating. In the past, sea turtles, dolphin, many species of fish and manatees frequently traveled the River, but their route has been cut off. The oysters and the habitats they provide are dying, along with the spawning ground for many species of fish. Lack of dune structure due to the breach could endanger A1A, an evacuation route, during a storm.

We believe the lack of flow in the River is adversely affecting the Matanzas Basin waterways surrounding it. The Summer Haven River has recreational, economic, historic and environmental value to the citizens of, and visitors to, St. Johns County.

We, the undersigned, petition the agencies involved, along with St. Johns County and our elected representatives to (1) move sand from/dredge the River to restore flow from north to south as it existed prior to the breach and (2) fill and reinforce the breached area, renourish all of the beach at Old A1A and vegetate the areas being renourished. We would like to see a plan in place to immediately solve any future emergency conditions.